Table 2 Characterization of the syllids assemblages identified on the Portuguese coast (Western Iberia)
Affinity groups | A1 | A2 | B |
|---|---|---|---|
No. of sampling sites | 31 | 24 | 30 |
Substrate type | Coarser shelf sediments | Finer shelf sediments | Kelp holdfasts |
Sediment type | VCS (11/31); CS (7/31); G (7/31); MS (3/31); FS (2/31); n.a. (1/31) | FS (13/24); M (9/24); MS (5/24); VFS (4/24); VCS(3/24); CS (1/24) | – |
Gravel content (mean; %) | 26.5 | 2.6 | – |
Sand content (mean; %) | 69.7 | 61.8 | – |
Fines content (mean; %) | 3.7 | 35.5 | – |
TOM content (mean; %) | 1.2 | 4.3 | – |
Depth (mean; m) | 57.8 | 70.8 | 0 |
Max holdfast diameter (mean; cm) | – | – | 21.7 |
Holdfast area (mean; cm2) | – | – | 188.9 |
Holdfast volume (mean; cm3) | – | – | 198.7 |
Abundance (mean) | 38.7 | 10.2 | 28.2 |
Total species richness | 31 | 16 | 33 |
Mean species richness | 7.5 | 2.5 | 8.2 |
No. of exclusive species | 16 | 2 | 19 |
Characteristic species (with Constancy and Fidelity indications) | Sphaerosyllis bulbosa (Cn/P) Syllis pontxioi (Cn/E)* Trypanosyllis coeliaca (Cn/E) Eurysyllis tuberculata (Cn/P) Odontosyllis gibba (C/E)* Palposyllis prosostoma (C/E)* Plakosyllis brevipes (C/E)* Syllis garciai (Cn/I) Streptodonta pterochaeta (O/E)* Syllis licheri (O/E)* | Parapionosyllis brevicirra (C/P) Syllis mercedesae (C/P) Syllis garciai (Cn/A) Sphaerosyllis taylori (O/I) Syllis armillaris (O/I) Exogone (Exogone) naidina (R/I) Parexogone gambiae (R/E)* Parexogone hebes (R/E)* Eurysyllis tuberculata (R/A) Haplosyllis spongicola (R/A) | Brania pusilla (Cn/E)* Myrianida brachycephala (Cn/E) Sphaerosyllis hystrix (Cn/P) Syllis krohni (Cn/E)* Syllis variegata (Cn/E)* Synmerosyllis lamelligera (Cn/I) Odontosyllis ctenostoma (C/E)* Syllis alternata (C/E)* Syllis corallicola (C/E)* Amblyosyllis formosa (O/E)* |
Most abundant species (top ten) | Sphaerosyllis bulbosa Syllis garciai Trypanosyllis coeliaca Syllis pontxioi* Eurysyllis tuberculata Synmerosyllis lamelligera* Opisthodonta serratisetosa* Syllis armillaris Sphaerosyllis hystrix Sphaerosyllis taylori | Syllis garciai Parapionosyllis brevicirra Syllis mercedesae Sphaerosyllis taylori Syllis armillaris Haplosyllis spongicola Parexogone gambiae* Exogone (Exogone) naidina Sphaerosyllis bulbosa Eurysyllis tuberculata | Brania pusilla* Sphaerosyllis hystrix Myrianida brachycephala Syllis garciai Synmerosyllis lamelligera Syllis krohni * Syllis variegata* Syllis alternata* Syllides edentatus Syllis corallicola* |